“Why is the position getting worse with every move even though the opponent isn’t doing anything extraordinary?”

Obviously, every position is unique; however, the most likely answer to this question, in general, is that your position is statically worse. Subsequently, a slow game plays into the hand of your opponent.

The terms “static” and “dynamic” in chess were coined by GM Iossif Dorfman in his classic book, The Method in Chess. Though he probably over-simplified very complicated matters, this concept is a very useful tool. He describes the whole method in great detail in the book, which I strongly recommend reading; however, I bet you’re looking for a shortcut 

Luckily, according to Dorfman, there is a “crude method enabling an immediate static evaluation of a position to be obtained:

• analyse whether it is possible for your own position to evolve independently of the opponent’s;
• analyse whether the opponent’s position can evolve independently of your own.

The position which is ready for evolution is statically better.”

If the position is statically worse, the player must find dynamic plays, which Dorfman defines as “factors … associated with a change in the state of a position, with the energy of a breakthrough, with the coming into contact with the opposing army.”

If the statically-worse player doesn’t take dynamic measures, then severe punishment will follow. This leads us to the Game of the Week.

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Game of the Week XXII: Maghsoodloo vs. Adams

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, please click the “Share” button, and if you find any noteworthy games that you think should appear on Game of the Week, please send us a message on Chess.com.

Please note that Game of the Week will cover games played from Saturday to Saturday of each week, and any games played on Sunday will go to the next week. See you next Sunday! 

Contributors:

GM Ulvi Bajarani

GM Vasif Durarbayli

Edited by Della Almind